Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Meyer Lemon Curd…and a GIVEAWAY!

If there are any of you out there who don’t believe in the almighty power of the Meyer lemon…

…well then maybe you should leave now and forever hold your peace. (But only if you pinky swear promise to come back on Monday. Deal? Kloveyoubye!)

Because what I’m about to tell you is that.

Even with this whole “spring forward” situation, which allows you to go for a run at 6:30 pm, do a whole loop of Central Park, and return home an hour later in broad daylight, thus saving your mother much grief and anguish (because no matter how many times you tell her that the park is absolutely riddled with other runners at all times in all weather, she is convinced you are running down some deserted 6 mile long alleyway. In the middle of Manhattan. Right.).

…we are about to enter the dark ages.

Yes, it’s true. The end of Meyer lemon season is nigh.

Let’s have a moment of silence, shall we?

And then let’s make cupcakes.

Because while Meyer lemons are really and truly a winter fruit…they somehow make everything they touch taste like sunshine.

And when you spend most of your day in a lab that has exactly one window that lets in barely even a glimmer of light……that extra hour we just got? So not cutting it.

The winner of the Eat Your Books lifetime membership giveaway is Becca of Amuse Your Bouche! Becca, I’ll be emailing you today!

And now, onto today’s giveaway.

Have you heard of Del Monte’s Crown the Cook Contest? Basically, all you have to do is submit an original recipe before April 22nd that you feel is crown-worthy and that features one or more of Del Monte’s canned fruit, vegetable or tomato products (full list of products here). If your recipe is selected as one of the top three finalists, you will win a year’s supply of Del Monte products as well as a four day trip for you and one guest to San Francisco to compete in a cook-off against two other fans! SF is a major foodie city. With some of the best ice cream on earth. And my best friend lives there. You want this.

Then, the grand prize winner will win…thousands of dollars of professional cookware!!

To get you started in recipe developing and brainstorming, Del Monte has been kind enough to offer to send one of my readers a Crown the Cook basket that includes 9 of Del Monte’s canned goods, a Del Monte apron, a set of measuring spoons, a Del Monte plate, some cute little Del Monte stress-relieving toys, as well as a $20 Visa card to use towards ingredients.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment telling me what your favorite spring/summer dessert is! (And if you do not have a blog please also leave me a way to contact you!!)

Cream butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the cream cheese. Reduce the speed to low, and then beat in the eggs, one at a time, until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three batches, beating until just combined after each.

Line two muffin tins with paper liners. Divide the batter evenly among the cups, filling about 3/4. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack completely before removing cupcakes.

To finish, dust cupcakes with confectioners’ sugar. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip with curd. Insert tip into the top of each cupcake and squeeze some curd below the top to fill the inside. Squeeze some more curd on top of the cupcakes so it’s a little pool of lemony deliciousness. Refrigerate filled cupcakes or leave at room temp for up to one hour.

Lemon Curd
Makes about 2 cups, adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

Ingredients

2 whole eggs plus 8 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (either Meyers or regular lemons)

2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature

Instructions

Combine whole eggs and yolks, sugar, and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat.

Add the butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Strain through a fine sieve into another bowl. Cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 2 hours.

You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at http://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.

Good god I love the look of these cupcakes. I have been inhaling anything lemon lately, so yes please! My favorite summer dessert is a peanut butter soft serve cone rolled in chocolate sprinkles which I get at least every couple weeks or so at our local ice cream place. So. In.sane.ly. GOOD!

I love meyer lemons and have only recently discovered them. Those cupcakes look delicious and are so perfect for right now!!!! My favorite spring/summer dessert would have to be good old ice cream….mint chocolate chip!

It’s funny that lemons just seem like spring to me! However, I’m torn between strawberry shortcake (my family always uses biscuits which is amazing) and peach cobbler. Yum, that makes me want summer to come soon!

I came “this” close to planting a meyer lemon tree this season, but blew my budget on herbs and veggies. Paul also reminded me how many friends bring me meyer lemons and “do I really need my own?” he asked. To which I answered “YES! Of course I do!” Those cupcakes. Dyiiiing!

My favorite spring/summer dessert doesn’t have a specific name, but it is a wonderful layering of pretzels, cream cheese and strawberry jello. It sounds weird at first, but it is a FANTASTIC combo of salty, sweet and creamy. MMmmmm!

I too have been mourning the end of Meyer lemons for this year. In fact, just today I juiced the last dozen and planned out what I was going to make over the weekend. At the top of my list is my favorite no bake lemon pie. It is so dang easy to throw together that it should be illegal. The only downside is waiting for it to get cold!

That would be my favorite summer dessert…but I eat it all year long too. Does that count? Actually, anything lemon. All things lemon. Lemons. Lemons. Lemons.

Indeed lemon is out of this world-especially in these cupcakes! My favorite dessert this time of year is Strawberry Shortcake-I’ve been pondering making a recipe of my own. Have a wonderful Easter weekend Joanne!

I’ve never had a meyer lemon. (I know, shame.) I actually don’t even know what is so special about them. I saw them at the store but they were expensive so I didn’t buy any.Iced coffee is my favorite spring/ summer food.

These cupcakes are so pretty. And I seriously could not get enough Meyer lemons in my diet. Unfortunately, I bought 1 bag from Trader Joe’s and they stopped selling them all of a sudden. It’s been incredibly frustrating. And I just can’t go back to regular lemons since I tried the meyer lemons!

Oh, Joanne, you have committed the 8th deadly food blogger sin: not showing the inside of your baked goods. Boohoo. I will forgive you however, if you promise to let me win the contest. My favorite spring or summer dessert is strawberry shortcake…either that or lemon bars. BTW your cupcakes look tremendous!

This looks lovely. And what a great giveaway? My favorite spring dessert is certainly the spring and pistachio tart I recently posted on my blog. It is heaven on a plate! (Much like these gorgeous yellow cupcakes!) Thank you for sharing, sweet friend. A lovely way to begin my Easter Sunday. I hope you have a happy day!

These are miniature treasures. They look delicious, Joanne and they would certainly be a wonderful additionto the Easter dessert table. I hope you get to enjoy the holiday with family and friends. Have a great day. Blessings…Mary

The one thing I will miss about winter will be the citrus, that’s for sure… But the abundance of berries more than makes up for it! I’m really looking forward to fruity sorbets, and pavlovas with raspberries, and grasshopper pie, and… Well, I could go on endlessly. I just love spring and summer sweets.

Man, I never DID hop on the Meyer lemon train! Must rectify . . .As for my favorite spring/summer dessert, I have to go with the simplest and best: fresh berries with freshly whipped cream (or liquid heavy cream) and sugar on top! It doesn’t get better than that.